Romney's foreign delusions

September 13, 2012 - Harry Eagar

Even before his latest gaffe concerning the deaths in Libya, a Guardian poll posed a deep question about one of Romney's favorite themes: That somehow, President Obama has lowered the standing of America overseas.

This is part of his McCarthyite strategy and is demonstrably delusional. While polls always leave some room for argument, some polls leave very little. When, for example, "Only around one in 20 of those surveyed in Britain, France and Germany by YouGov held a positive view of the Republican presidential nominee," it would have to be a wholly phony survey to be wrong.

Some of the findings are remarkable. Romney accused Obama of damaging the "special relationship" with Britain. Apparently, somebody has harmed it but it wasn't Obama:

"Forty-seven percent of UK respondents said a Romney victory would make them feel less favourable towards the US, and only 3% would make them feel more favourable."